Braves ride Colin Price’s bat and arm to big 5-4 comeback win

GAINESVILLE – The Gainesville Braves rode a pair of home runs by Danny Lynch and Colin Price to notch a big 5-4 comeback win over the Waleska Wild Things Friday night at Ivey-Watson Field.

The big play of the game though came following Price’s big three-run jack which gave the Braves a 5-4 lead. With the Wild Things threatening with one-out in the bottom of the seventh, Price snuck a pickoff throw behind Wild Thing baserunner Parker Hildebrecht to squelch a comeback threat and help seal the win 5-4 for the 5-7 Braves.

For most of the seven-inning contest, the Braves had no answer for the Wild Things (5-6) and starter Chase Allen’s mastery from the mound.

After scoring a run each in the first and second following RBI singles by Trace Cate and Jack Connelly, the Wild Things added two big insurance runs on a double by Marcarian Allen and a sacrifice by Connelly to up the score to 4-1Wild Things.

The Braves cracked the scoreboard in the top half of the fifth on a solo shot by Danny Lynch, his first.

In the top of the seventh off losing pitcher Colt Taylor, Will Mapes started the comeback rally with a double off the leftfield wall. Carter Lott plated Mapes with an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2 in favor of Waleska. Joe Sutton then singled to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in Price.

Price then launched the 1-0 fastball high and long into the Ivey-Watson twilight for this third homer of the year to give Gainesville a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish. Price now is tied for the Sunbelt League lead with three dingers.

Jackson Holdnick picked up the win in relief while Greer Holston notched the save.

Colt Taylor absorbed the loss for Waleska.

The two teams meet up again on Saturday with a twi-night doubleheader at 4 p.m. to be followed by the largest fireworks display north of Stone Mountain.